i  Devonleigh Blog

The Art of Making Concrete Beautiful in 10 Steps

We bet when you think of a concrete floor you think cold, industrial, and unfinished.  

What if we were to tell you that these beautiful floors were infact concrete? 

How is this possible? Through staining!  

The art of staining concrete is achieved by pouring or brushing either an acrylic or acid over your exposed concrete flooring, allowing it to dry, and sealing it.  Now when it comes to deciding whether you should choose an acid or acrylic, you need to remember that both has advantages and disadvantages:

• Acids conceal imperfections and cracks better than acrylics

• Acrylics are easier and safer to apply than acids.  If you use an acid you need to take serious safety precautions or hire professionals.

• Acids are available in fewer hues than acrylics, but these fewer hues can be combined to create new colours.

Given how pronounced the effect that stained concrete can have on your floor , it’s surprisingly easy to do.  It is labour intensive,It is labour inten The process is a little but labour intensive,

Here’s 10 Steps for Staining Concrete Floor:

1. Remove any trim and baseboards that could be harmed or stained from the staining mixture and cover the base of your walls or cabinets.

2. Clean (really deep clean) your concrete.  

   • Use a degreaser and pressure washer to remove any particles or debris

3. Mix your stain.  

   • Mix your stain outdoors or in a well-ventilated area and always add the acid to the water, not the water to the acid.  

   • Wear protective gear as the stain’s main ingredient is hydrochloric acid.  

   • Since acid is corrosive, the stain should only be put in a completely plastic 2 gallon pump with spray wand.  

   • If your floor was trowelled by a machine use a 1-to-1 acid to water ratio.  

   • If you’re floors were hand-trowelled, use a 1 part acid-to- 4 parts water ratio.

4. Test your colour on an inconspicuous place on the floor.  You can adjust your colour by adding more stain or water as needed.

5. Apply the stain with the sprayer to evenly cover your floor

   • Avoid pools and puddle of stain but not so much that it pools or puddles.

   • Use a shop broom to ensure even application and that no part is lighter or darker than another.

6. After your stain has had time to set (consult the stain label to find out how how your stain needs to set) you need to neutralize and clean your floor.

   • To neutralize your floors use, in a 2 gallon pump sprayer, add four parts water and one part ammonia solution.  

   • Let this dry, mop your floor, and allow to dry again.

7. Seal your floor

   • Why? Sealing your floors reduces wear up to 400%.  

   • Use a densifier to penetrate the concrete and enhance the colour and a stain guard to add shine.  

   • You may choose a either a high gloss or matte sealer depending on your taste.

   • Typically two coats will suffice, but you may re-apply as many times as you would like until you reach your desired effect.

8. Allow to dry and set for 24 hours

9. Remove any protective covers from your walls and cabinets and re-attach your trim.

10. Sit back and enjoy the efforts of your hard labour - you're done!

Now that you have this mastered (and stunning floors), why not try something a little different, like stained concrete countertops?

Enjoy making your home beautiful!